Several years ago, I completed the Clifton Strengths Finder assessment to better understand myself and the ways in which I engage with others professionally. The Clifton Strengths website indicates that the strength themes “explain the ways you most naturally think, feel and behave.” I recently (finally) made time to truly evaluate the results of my assessment, and it gave me a lot to think about.
The Clifton Strengths are organized into four categories: executing, influencing, relationship building, and strategic thinking. The assessment revealed my top five natural strengths all fall within two of these categories: executing and strategic thinking.
The assessment enabled me to articulate the ways in which I unconsciously operate and highlighted areas where I may need to exert more effort. I pride myself on being efficient and effective. Take one look at my strengths (numbered above) and this should be no surprise.
Above all else, I have an incredibly high sense of responsibility, and I aim to achieve. In most of my professional life, I have been able to achieve what was expected of me regardless of position or department because I have been able to analyze problems, understand the context, learn what I needed to do, and get the job done.
Over the last two years, my responsibilities evolved. I faced new challenges and found myself hitting road blocks. Getting things done was no longer as easy as before, and I had to wade through several frustrating projects before realizing I too needed to evolve. Taking time to reflect on my strengths helped me recognize that I have been missing out on opportunities to build meaningful connections. This has implications for not only my own professional success, but also for those I lead. An important part of leadership is empowering others and supporting them in developing their own rich lives. Having a positive influence on others and impact on my field requires investing the time and energy into developing genuine relationships.
Over the past several months, I’ve considered how to grow my strengths including seeking advice from others, and I learned a valuable lesson. Relationships matter. To put it in terms I naturally understand, relationships are productive.
That’s why, in 2020, I am making relationship building a personal and professional goal. I know it won’t come easy to me because this is not the way I most “naturally think, feel, and behave,” but I see the value. I also see that I have a responsibility to myself and others to welcome experiences that come from connection. I believe improving myself in these areas will be both personally and professionally rewarding and am excited for the opportunities that await. Stay tuned for progress and if you know me in real life, I hope to connect real soon.
